SCIENTIFIC PROCEEDINGS XXII INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL CONFERENCE "trans & MOTAUTO ’14" ISSN 1310-3946

INDICATED PRESSURE OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Ing. Repka J.1, doc. Ing. Labuda R. PhD.1, Ing. Kovalčík A. PhD 1, doc. Ing. Bárta D. PhD.1, Ing Skrúcaný T.2
The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – University of Žilina, the Slovak Republic 1
The Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications – University of Žilina, the Slovak Republic 2
jan.repka@fstroj.uniza.sk
Abstract: the contribution deals with problems of measurement indicated pressure of internal combustion engine. Indicated pressure
measurement allows better monitoring of change state quantities during implementation working cycle of internal combustion engine.
Measurement is realized with the mobile unit on the vehicle under the specified mode, the real conditions of transport, as well as on brake
bench in the laboratory. By analysing the results of experiments can be more precisely to quantify efficiency of power transmission and
energy flows in the drive mechanism of the vehicle.
Keywords: INDICATED POWER, MEAN INDICATED PRESSURE, INDICATOR DIAGRAM, BRAKE TEST BENCH, SPARK
PLUG

1. Introduction
To complexly assess work, economy and adverse ecological
impact of conventional piston combustion engines, various
parameters and their dependence – characteristics are used. Based
on their values the combustion engines are qualitatively ranked.
Main parameters are: mean effective pressure, mean indicated
pressure of a cycle, indicated and effective engine power as well as
engine losses power, specific consumptions of operating materials,
specific engine efficiency and produced emissions (of gases, noise
and vibrations). [5] For a closer classification and evaluation of
combustion engines characteristics in practice, comparative
characteristics are used. They describe also other properties and
values needed for mutual comparability of engines regardless their
size, power, construction, operating principle, etc.
Theoretical – ideal cycles, are reversible processes according to
which the ideal engine works. To be closer to reality, open
theoretical cycles are solved, i.e., the replacement of a cylinder
charge is considered. Real work cycle describes real processes
taking place in the engine cylinder.
2. Detection of indicated power Pi
We usually work with an indicator diagram, i.e. the dependence
of pressure change on an instantaneous value of a cylinder volume –
Fig. 1. If this change is evaluated in dependence on the angle of
rotation of a crankshaft or on time, we speak of a developed
indicator diagram – Fig. 4b.
Indicated engine output Pi is obtained from work cycles in the
combustion engine regardless of losses. The indicated power output
is experimentally collected from measurements of an indicator
diagram or by the cylinders shut down.
An area closed by the indicator diagram Ai (given by difference
AI+ – AI-) – Fig. 1 is proportional to the work of one work cycle
(J.cyk-1). Positive area of indicator diagram AI+ present the work
received during the expansion stroke. Negative area AI- presents the
work consumed to replace the capacity of the cylinders. [4]
The indicator diagram area is replaced by a rectangle area with
an identical basic side (corresponding to Vz (m3)). The mean
indicated pressure thus represents an imaginary constant mean value
of pressure acting on the piston; when within one stroke, the work
equal to the quantity of indicated work performed in the duration of
one stroke, would be done. The mean indicated pressure (Pa) is
defined by the relation:
pis=Ai / Vz (1)
Fig. 1 presents the indicated work Ai1 of one cylinder of the
internal combustion engine area that can be determined by
multiplying the values of mean indicated pressure pis and stroke
volume Vz:
Ais=pis . Vz (2)
Indicated power of one cylinder:

The processes connected with energy transformation are Pi1=Ai1 / t1 (3)

frequently assessed according to their power outputs. The duration of one cycle internal combustion engine:
t1=1 / (2 . n ) . z (4)
Pi (W) is given by the indicated work of a cycle, number of
cylinders i and by the cycle duration t (s), depending on a number of
engine revolutions n (s-1) and strokes z per cycle (two-stroke z = 2,
four-stroke z = 4). The resultant relation for a four-stroke engine is
of Pi:
Pi=(pis . Vz1 . 2 . n . i) / z (5)

3. Measurement of indicated power Pi in brake test

bench
Measurements indicated pressure of combustion engine of road
vehicle was released in selected driving modes on brake test bench,
with using the measuring equipment Kibox to go – Fig. 3. The main
goal of a series of experimental measurements was to determine the
energy terms during the operation of a road vehicle.

Fig. 1 Indicator diagram.

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Measuring equipment make digital data recording of rpm of

combustion engine, pressure of positive and negative area of
indicator diagram, cycle count and the displacement in the
dependence of crank angle.
In rpm range of 1000 – 5000 min-1 was made record of one
hundred cycles of combustion engine. Fig. 4 shows the real
indicator diagram and developed indicator diagram from real
measurement.

Fig. 2 a) Measuring equipment Kibox To Go: 1 – PC, 2 – Kibox To Go, 3 –

converter, 4 – serial diagnostic, b) Vehicle on the brake test bench.

For the measurement was used Kia Sportage vehicle with a

displacement of 2.0 l, power of 104 kW at 6000 rpm and torque 184
Nm at 4500 rpm. Brake test bench simulated load 1500N - 2000N.
The measurement was realised on road vehicle with third speed
gear. During the measurement rpm were change in range of 1000 –
5000 min-1.
Indicated power of the individual measurements was
determined from the indicator diagrams. For the measurement of
indicated pressure was used special spark plug with pressure sensor
– Fig. 3.
Fig. 1 Real diagrams – a) indicator diagram, b) developed indicator
diagram.
The results of the measurements are graphics dependencies
monitored parameters during the selected driving regimes of a road
vehicle. In the tables 1, 2 are shown the values of the monitored
operation parameters of a road vehicle.

Table 1: Measured values, third speed gear, load 1500 N

n (min-1) p1+ (Pa) p2- (Pa) pis (Pa) Pi1 (W) Pim (W) Ai1 (J)
1000 719001 -20019 685990 2760 11040 34431
2000 753160 -34796 718360 5704,9 22820 35842
3000 778690 -49254 729430 9301,8 33720 36394
4000 823720 -63913 759800 12560 50239 37910
5000 842740 -84043 758700 15552 62208 37854

Fig. 3 a) spark plug, b) position of spark plug (1).

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SCIENTIFIC PROCEEDINGS XXII INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL CONFERENCE "trans & MOTAUTO ’14" ISSN 1310-3946

Table 2: Measured values, third speed gear, load 2000 N In this measurement Pe = 0 and Pi = Pl. Indicated power in this
case equal to losses power of accessory equipment of the
n (min-1) p1+ (Pa) p2- (Pa) pis (Pa) Pi1 (W) Pim (W) Ai1 (J) combustion engine. Table 3 show the measured values of indicated
1000 925001 -11519 913452 4885 19540 45851 parameters. The courses of indicated parameters are shown in Fig.
7.
2000 958750 -26254 932500 8558,1 34232 46526
3000 981610 -41542 940070 12108 48433 46904
4000 999940 -54380 945560 14500 57998 47102
5000 1036900 -88720 948220 19682 78728 47310
n – rpm, p1+ - pressure of positive area of indicator, p2- –
pressure of negative area of indicator, pis – indicated pressure, Pi1 –
indicated power of one cylinder of the combustion engine, Pim –
indicated power of the combustion engine, Ai1 – indicated power
The indicated power of one cylinder and combustion engine
was calculated from measured values in tables 1, 2 by using
calculation formula 4. Figure 5 shows a comparison the changes in
magnitude of pressure in positive p1+ and negative p2- area of the
indicator diagram and indicated pressure depending on the rpm with
various loads.

Fig. 6 The course of the indicated power, third speed gear, load 1500 and
2000 [N], Pi1 – indicated power of one cylinder of the combustion engine,
Pim – indicated power of the combustion engine.

Table 3: Indicated parameters in no-load measurement

n (min-1) p1+ (Pa) p2- (Pa) pis (Pa) Pi1 (W) Pim (W) Ai1 (J)
1000 148160 -74091 74071 324,7348 1298,9 3695,7
2000 158970 -76770 82204 684,5862 2738,3 4101,5
3000 169430 -76571 92856 1171,4 4685,8 4632,9
4000 189160 -82304 106800 1762,3 7049,3 5381,3
5000 215950 -86069 129880 2682,8 10731 6480,1
Fig. 5 The course of the pressures, third speed gear, load 1500 and 2000
[N], p1+ - positive pressure of the indicator diagram, p2- - negative pressure
of the indicator diagram, pis – indicated mean effective pressure

The change of load involves a change of a size of the individual

pressures. The increasing of the load caused the growth of the
individual pressures. The pressure in the cylinder and indicated
mean effective pressure increasing too. Pressure dissipation
increases with the increasing rpm of the combustion engine and
with the increasing load due to increase in losses. Fig. 6 shows
comparisons of changes of the indicated power Pi1 of one cylinder
and the entire Pim combustion engine with various loads.
By the measurement of mean indicated pressure is possible to
identify power of accessory equipment of the combustion engine. It
is no-load measurement. Indicated power equal the sum of effective
power and losses power according to formula (5):
Pi=Pe+Pl (5)

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SCIENTIFIC PROCEEDINGS XXII INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL CONFERENCE "trans & MOTAUTO ’14" ISSN 1310-3946

Fig. 7 Courses of indicated parameters in no-load measurement.
In series of experiment was made another measurement of
indicated pressure during downhill driving. The power in this case
equal to power that could by accumulated. Indicator diagram of
downhill driving is shown in Fig. 8.
References
[1] Zvyšovanie výkonových parametrov spaľovacích motorov
optimalizáciou zapaľovacej krivky / Michal Puškár - 2009.In:
Zdvihací zařízení v teorii a praxi. No. 2 (2009), p. 47-50. - ISSN
1802-2812
[2] Príspevok k problematike vysokého kompresného pomeru a jeho
vplyv na výkonovú krivku u pretekárskych dvojtaktných motorov /
Michal Puškár - 2010. In: Zdvihací zařízení v teorii a praxi. No. 1
(2010), p. 57-59. - ISSN 1802-2812
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Fig. 8 Indicator diagram of downhill driving.

Conclusion
Measuring apparature Kibox to go, that was used during a series
of experimental measurements, offers a wide range of use.
Apparature allows the measurement of the pressures in the cylinder,
measurement of the heat release, identification the beginning and
end of combustion, TDC (top dead centre) identification, sensing
the rotational angle of the crankshaft and others.
In addressing the issue of energy consumption of road vehicles
is planned a series of measurements during the operation of a road
vehicle in real traffic.

Acknowledgement
This contribution was created within the framework of the
projects ITMS: 26110230107 supported by the Agency of the
Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak
Republic for EU Structural Funds.

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